Extending Visa while waiting for Common Law

[extendingvisa149]

Hi there

I was wondering if anyone can help me. I am Canadian and my boyfriend is from the UK. His one year IEC Visa is going to end in August and we are planning to apply for a common law visa at the one year mark, but i heard the wait for this will be 9-11 months. During this wait time, what can my boyfriend do to extend his visa so that he can still work while waiting for our common law to approve. He cannot reapply for the IEC as he is over 31 now and he has just been temping at the moment, so there aren't any secured jobs that will sponsor him.

What can he do to continue working while waiting for this approval??

Please help!!!

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Hey

If he can't get a job offer from a Canadian employer who has a positive LMO (Labour Market Opinion, says that the employer can hire a foreign worker instead of a Canadian), he won't be able to get a work permit. 30 days before his IEC expires, he can apply online to change his status to visitor. He can then stay in Canada for 6 months as a tourist, unable to work, while the PR app processes. He will need to extend the visitor status at the 6 month mark, as it will most likely take a bit longer than that for the PR app to be processed. The average right now for London outland is around 7 months for straightforward apps (clear proof of common-law relationship, visa-exempt citizen, no kids, no police or medical issues), so it isn't so bad as 9-11 months . Check out this page and spreadsheet for applicants applying outland through London

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/thread-for-outland-london-uk-applications-t49436.9390.html
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AvI5l_hMO7UKdHc2LUJuZ2Itcld2Vk1WR25GeVZxYVE#gid=0

I sponsored my UK partner as well, we moved here partway through the app and he couldn't work for 4 months, so I know how much it sucks to be in that position! He's allowed to volunteer

 

[extendingvisa149]

wow. really? there is no way of extending his visa so that he can work while in the process of waiting for his Permanent Residence? This will suck big time!!!!

 

[amikety]

wow. really? there is no way of extending his visa so that he can work while in the process of waiting for his Permanent Residence? This will suck big time!!!!

No, IEC visas aren't extendable at all.

Just a note - if you're applying for PR, he can ask for a year to cover the PR processing time. If he's done his medicals or paid his fees, can he include a copy of the receipts/forms for proof. I did that for my last extension and was given 14 months.

 

[extendingvisa149]

REally?? Interesting. What form do i need to get the extension while applying for his PR. Is that available with the Common Law forms?

thanks for all your help btw.